Arsenal’s hopes of defending their Women’s Champions League crown came to a crushing end as Jule Brand scored a dramatic 87th-minute winner to give Lyon a 4-3 semi-final win on aggregate.
The European champions arrived at Groupama Stadium as favourites after a 2-1 win in the first leg, thanks to two defensive mix-ups by Lyon.
And it looked like luck was on the Gunners’ side once again when Lindsey Heaps had a goal ruled out, and Daphne van Domselaar saved a penalty from Wendie Renard inside the opening 20 minutes.
But the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened after the spot-kick to tell the referee that Van Domselaar was off her line, and captain Renard made no mistake with the retake to level the tie.
Kadidiatou Diani crept in with a strike at the back post to put the eight-time champions on the front foot, before Alessia Russo squeezed between Heaps and Ashley Lawrence to score.
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But Brand’s curling finish – given after a lengthy VAR check for an agonisingly close offside decision – ended Arsenal’s hopes of becoming the first British side to reach back-to-back finals in the Women’s Champions League.
Lyon will find out their final opponents on Sunday, when Barcelona host Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
When Arsenal travelled to Lyon for last year’s semi-final, they had it all to do in France after losing the first leg 2-1.
Arsenal manager Renee Slegers said they had to “start all over again”, but it was Lyon who raced out of the blocks.
Heaps was unfortunate to have a powerful header ruled out, with the referee adjudging Ingrid Engen and Ada Hegerberg to be in an offside position in front of the goalkeeper – a decision upheld after a lengthy VAR check.
But the tie turned on its head when VAR intervened again as Lotte Wubben-Moy made minimal contact with Melchie Dumornay in the Arsenal penalty area.
Although Van Domselaar saved Renard’s initial effort, she went the wrong way for the retake.
Lyon continued to threaten and were rewarded when Diani poked in, while Arsenal struggled to create any clear chances in the first half.
Russo gave Arsenal a lifeline, but they failed to capitalise on a brief period of dominance and, with the game headed to extra time, VAR reared its head once more.
It took more than three minutes to check whether Brand had strayed offside, as the assistant referee had initially ruled.
But eventually, there were scenes of jubilation inside the ground as replays showed Wubben-Moy had narrowly played Brand onside.
It was a disappointing end to Arsenal’s European campaign, and their dreams of silverware this season now rest on the Women’s Super League (WSL), although they would need to win their remaining four matches and hope leaders Manchester City slip up.
While Arsenal were the more threatening team at the Emirates, it was thanks to two defensive errors by Lyon that they started the second leg in front.
However, in London Lyon were missing Dumornay, who is widely regarded as one of the best attacking players in the world, and she proved decisive in the return leg.
Returning from injury to start, the Haiti international caused plenty of problems for Arsenal’s backline, driving into the box and fizzing multiple efforts at Van Domselaar.
She won the first-half penalty, and it was her curling delivery to the back post that Brand took down with a brilliant touch and swept into the Arsenal goal.
Lyon will chase a record-extending ninth European title in Oslo and their first under the ownership of American businesswoman Michele Kang, who bought the women’s team in 2023 and celebrated with the players on the pitch after the final whistle.
Arsenal travel to Brighton in the WSL on Wednesday, by which time they will have three games in hand on City.
Lyon, already crowned French champions this season, will lift their fifth successive trophy after Wednesday’s game against Montpellier.
(BBC)
